---
title: "Coupons: create promo codes valid at the register | Vivlab POS"
description: "Create a percentage or fixed-amount promo code, on products, shipping or both, with a minimum order, an expiration date, a usage limit or a reserved customer. The same code works at the register and online."
url: https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/coupons
---
# Coupons
A coupon is a promo code, for example `SALE20`, that grants a discount: a percentage or a fixed amount off the products, the shipping or both, following your rules. It is the only way to give a discount at the register, because an item's price cannot be changed in the cart. Coupons are shared with the dashboard and your online store: the same code works at the counter and on your website, with the same rules.
## What do you want to do?
- [Create a coupon](#creer-un-coupon)
- [Apply a coupon to a sale](#appliquer-en-caisse)
- [Offer free shipping with a code](#offrir-la-livraison)
- [Limit a coupon: minimum order, number of uses, end date](#limiter-un-coupon)
- [Discount only some products or categories](#produits-et-categories)
- [Reserve a coupon for one customer](#reserver-a-un-membre)
- [Fix a coupon you already created](#corriger-un-coupon)
- [Disable or delete a coupon](#desactiver-un-coupon)
## Create a coupon {#creer-un-coupon}
The list shows each coupon's **Coupon code**, its number of uses, its **Expiration** date, its **Status** and the **Discount**. **Search for a discount code** finds a code.
1. Open **Store** > **Coupons**, then click **Create a discount coupon**.
2. Enter the **Coupon code**, for example `SALE20`, or click the **Generate code** button next to it.
3. In **Discount applies to**, keep **Products only** (excluding shipping) or choose **Shipping only** or **Products and shipping**.
4. Choose **Fixed amount discount** or **Percentage discount**, then enter the value.
5. Add [rules](#limiter-un-coupon) if needed, check the **Preview**, then click **Save**.
The coupon is active as soon as you save it, at the register and online.
| | Fixed amount (e.g. -€10) | Percentage (e.g. -20%) |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------- |
| When the eligible cart grows | The discount stays the same | The discount grows proportionally |
| Capping the discount | Not needed | Possible with **Maximum discount** |
| With **Restrict to certain products** | At most the price of one unit of each selected product | Calculated on one unit of each selected product |
| With **Restrict to certain categories** | Taken once from the total of the category's products | Calculated on every unit of the category's products |
The code accepts letters, digits, dashes and underscores, with no spaces or accents, 200 characters at most. A code can only exist once: if you enter a code already in use, the window tells you.
::: warning Check before saving
A created coupon can no longer be edited; only its status (active or disabled) can change. See [Fix a coupon you already created](#corriger-un-coupon).
:::
::: info Manager role
Coupons are created and managed with the **Manager** role. Every role can apply a coupon to a sale. See [Team](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/staff.md).
:::
## Apply a coupon to a sale {#appliquer-en-caisse}
1. On the **Sale** screen, add the items to the cart.
2. Tap **Cart actions** (the three dots at the top of the cart), then **Add a coupon**.
3. Enter the **Coupon code**, then tap **Validate**.
The register recalculates the cart from your catalog and shows the discount. If the coupon doesn't fit the cart, the message **This coupon cannot be applied to this cart** appears. A sale can only carry one coupon: entering another one replaces the previous one. The full flow, including removing a coupon, is described in [Sale](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/sale.md#appliquer-un-coupon).
At the register, the same points are checked as online:
- the coupon is active;
- its expiration date has not passed;
- its number of uses has not been reached;
- the items' amount reaches the minimum order;
- the cart contains eligible items, if the coupon is restricted to products or categories;
- the customer attached to the sale is the one the coupon is reserved for, if any.
The coupon counts as used when the sale is recorded, not when you add it to the cart. A held ticket or a quote therefore doesn't use up a redemption.
## Offer free shipping with a code {#offrir-la-livraison}
Create a coupon (for example `FREESHIPPING`) with **Shipping only** and a **Percentage discount** of `100`. Shipping drops to €0 whatever the shipping method, and the list shows the **Free shipping** condition. At the register, add a [shipping method](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/shippings.md#en-caisse) to the sale first: without one, this coupon is refused.
::: tip Free shipping without a code
To offer shipping above an order amount, with no code, use **Free shipping above a certain amount** in a [shipping method](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/shippings.md#livraison-gratuite).
:::
## Limit a coupon: minimum order, number of uses, end date {#limiter-un-coupon}
When creating the coupon, turn on one or more rules in the **Rules** block:
- **Require a minimum order value**: amount of products in the cart, excluding shipping, for example €50;
- **Limit the number of uses**: total across all customers, at the register and online, one use per paid sale or order, for example 100;
- **Add an expiration date**: the code stops working at midnight at the start of the chosen day (for a code valid through Sunday night, pick Monday);
- **Maximum discount**: cap in euros for a percentage discount, for example €30.
Once the quota is reached or the date has passed, the coupon switches to **Expired** in the list and is refused, at the register and online.
## Discount only some products or categories {#produits-et-categories}
With **Products only** or **Products and shipping** (unavailable with **Shipping only**), turn on **Restrict to certain products** and add the [products](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/products.md), or **Restrict to certain categories** and tick the [categories](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/collections.md). Other items stay at full price. With both options, an item is discounted if it is one of the chosen products or in one of the chosen categories.
::: warning One unit per product
Restricted to products, the coupon only discounts one unit of each product, even if the customer buys several. Restricted to categories, it covers every unit: put the item in a category to discount all its units.
:::
## Reserve a coupon for one customer {#reserver-a-un-membre}
A reserved coupon only works for one specific customer, for example as a goodwill gesture.
1. When creating the coupon, turn on **Reserve for one member**.
2. Search the customer by name or email, then choose them.
3. Click **Save**, then give them the code.
At the register, attach this customer to the sale before applying the code (see [Sale](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/sale.md#rattacher-un-client)). Online, the customer must be signed in to their account. The coupon appears in the **Discount coupons** of their [customer](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/members.md) profile.
::: info Pro plan
Searching for a customer and attaching a customer to a sale require the register's Pro plan. See [Billing and usage](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/billing.md).
:::
## Fix a coupon you already created {#corriger-un-coupon}
A saved coupon can no longer be edited: create a corrected copy.
1. Click the coupon in the list.
2. Open the **More actions** menu (the three dots at the top of the window), then choose **Duplicate**: the form copies the settings, with the code followed by `_2`.
3. Change the code, fix what's needed, then click **Save**.
4. [Disable or delete](#desactiver-un-coupon) the old coupon.
To keep the same code, delete the old coupon first, then create the new one.
## Disable or delete a coupon {#desactiver-un-coupon}
1. Click the coupon in the list.
2. In **Status**, choose **Disabled coupon**.
3. Click **Save**.
The code is refused at the register and online, but it stays in the list so you can turn it back on later. To delete a coupon, open its window's **More actions** menu, choose **Delete** and confirm.
For several coupons, tick their rows in the list, then **More actions** > **Activate**, **Deactivate** or **Delete**. Deletion is permanent and asks for confirmation.
## Good to know
- **Status in the list**: **Active**, **Inactive** (disabled by you) or **Expired** (date passed or quota reached).
- **Capped at the eligible amount**: a €15 coupon on €10 of products takes off €10. A percentage is rounded up to the next cent.
- **Discount and VAT**: on the receipt, the discount is spread across the eligible items, and VAT is calculated on the discounted amounts.
- **No automatic discount**: a coupon always requires a code. To show a crossed-out price on the online store, use **Show a promotion** in the [product form](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/products.md#completer-la-fiche).
- **Gift cards**: the register doesn't sell gift cards and doesn't accept them as payment. To give value back to a customer at the register, use a credit note (see [Receipts](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/pos/receipts.md)).
- **CSV export**: exporting coupons to a CSV file happens on the [dashboard Coupons page](https://docs.vivlab.com/en/sections/coupons.md#disable-a-coupon).
- In a coupon's window, the arrows at the top move to the previous or next coupon in the list.